Lockdown
by A. G. Moria
Summary: After Killer Croc's defeat at the hands of the Batman, he finds himself in the clutches of the notorious asylum, Arkham Asylum, once again. Security Adviser Selene, having been personally assigned to keep him in check, finds herself constantly at odds with the crime lord. Through hell and fire, prison breaks and murder, can these two set aside their pride?
1. The First Day

**Hello again, people of Fanfiction.**

**I am back once more to bring you yet another fanfic that I am sure the lot of you will enjoy taking your time and reading over.**

**Now this is just one of my stories that is for those who don't mind a bit of inaccuracy on details here and there, and for those who enjoy Killer Croc as much as I do. And for those who don't give a rats ass that one of the main characters is an OC, here ya go.**

* * *

When the Dark Knight took down and took most of Killer Croc's organization into custody in one night, it only served to concentrate the crocodile-man's perception of humans as cruel and treacherous vermin.

Of course, Batman assisted the police in pulling the beaten crime boss' body to the transporting vehicle that was to take him back to Arkham Asylum, but he then vanished right after that. That left the policemen to take their sweet time kicking around the injured, unconscious, and possibly even dead Croc, likely taking advantage of one of the few chances they'd get to feel power over a clearly superior creature.

That being said, when they eventually did get around to shackling the prisoners and loading them on into the police cars and vans, the apprehension of Killer Croc himself was no small feat. It took no less than ten men to even lift his body, and they had no metal restraints to match his size except for the ones Batman personally put on him. In the end, they had nothing more than his physical state and one pair of bat-cuffs to assure his captivity, which was absolutely no kind of assurance at all. He was bound and gagged on the floor of his carrier, with five officers sweating bullets as they watched him down the barrel of their guns. Their only chance was to hope that he remained unconscious until they reached their destination.

Fortunately for the lot of them, the Dark Knight packed one hell of a punch.

* * *

The downpour assaulting the exterior of the prison slash mental facility would make moving the large crocodile-man a difficult task, but it couldn't be helped at that time.

At least their arrival at Arkham Asylum was anticipated; there was an entire crew dispatched to help with processing of the new prisoners slash patients. In addition, the new Vice Warden, Sirius Law, had come to oversee the matter; from a distance the man stood out, being easily taller as the average six foot man. When Batman approached him, however, he saw he was not alone.

The newly appointed Security Adviser, Selene D. Grey, was standing at his side. She donned a combat vest over a black tank-top, with a pair of khaki's tucked into a set of militia-style boots. The was a knife sheathed at her shoulder with the grip pointing down; the handle of her shock prod rose over the opposite shoulder, and the grip of yet another blade poked out above the height of her left boot. And though he couldn't see it, Batman knew she had a six-shooter holstered at the small of her back. He doubted she so much as bathed without some kind of weapon on her.

She gave a familiar frown at the sight of the Dark Knight, and appeared to mutter something to the Vice Warden just before Batman entered earshot.

"Vice Warden," He spoke up in a deep tone, his voice clearly saying that everything he said was and was to be taken seriously, "I see your men have this situation under control".

"Yes, and well done taking Killer Croc down in the first place, Batman. No doubt about it; you and the commissioner's men have pulled off yet another successful take down in the crime boss organization".

"Thank you, sir," The Dark Knight merely nodded in agreement and started to take his leave. "But it was justice that helped both of us out tonight".

They watched him vanish into the darkness of the night before turning to look at one another. "You were right, Selene. He's a dark mystery that one".

"And he's helping out for no known reason other than justice. I don't like it. He's doing it for something else, I just know it".

"Well, what of these... busted sewer pipes he reported in to the commissioner"?

"According to Vlad's report, the locals claim Killer Croc and his men have rigged multiple pipes to burst sooner or later and some already have. I've already told you what they said of Batman being seen snooping around that area looking for clues".

"Yes, you have".

"Is it grounds for arrest since some have claimed that Batman has actually helped Croc's organization find certain pipes? I mean how do you think he manages to find those kinds of things all the damn time. He's a villain in a hero's costume".

Law shook his head. "Arresting him now would do little good. I can relay what you've told me to my superiors, and they'll probably begin another investigation that leads to another dead end on the Bat's case. But beyond that, it's out of our hands, Selene".

"Even the number of times that these men have apparently escaped the Batman where others haven't"?

"We can take it into consideration when distributing the prisoners, but that's a weighty charge. We can't throw around such accusations lightly, and especially not without proof. None of those citizens actually witnessed the criminal's escapes; it's all circumstantial".

The Adviser narrowed her eyes, "I was afraid you'd say that".

The Vice Warden stroked his chin for a second before continuing the conversation with, "Well, that's enough of the Bat for the time being. Right now, let's worry about the matter at hand. I want you to..." He trailed off, spotting a large cluster of guards struggling to lift a large crocodile-man from the police van and onto the ground below. Law's eyes glinted in recognition.

"Waylon Jones".

Selene squinted to get a better look. "He looks completely out of it".

The Killer Croc's eyes were rolled back into his head, with crusted blood running down his face and abdomen. His once-nice vest was stained with dirt and blood, and sported some rather large tears. One of his legs was twisted unpleasantly- swollen and discolored, it was clearly broken.

The Dark Knight certainly did a number on him.

"There's no way no normal man was responsible for that," the Vice Warden assessed with the utmost certainty, and Selene was reluctantly inclined to agree with him. "That's only what the mysterious Batman can do. Now I want you to personally oversee Jones' imprisonment, including sentencing and cell placement. See if you can't get him placed below the normal cells of Block C"

"Containing him this go around is going to be a problem".

Law rubbed the back of his neck, thinking. "Recount some of the reports we received from your man Vlad in the downtown district where his organization was busted. His utter decimation on the whole district, his merciless slaughter of innocent people; argue his misrepresented thought process and really tug at the heartstrings. I want this one buried so deep he can't crawl out this go around".

"Yes, sir". She nodded, moving to follow his orders.

"And Selene"! She quickly turned back to face him. "Meet me in my office later. If Batman is really responsible for the state Killer Croc is in, then we need to make it clear to him that we at Arkham Asylum want our patients to be reasonably healthy when they come to us for help".

"Sir," She acquiesced dutifully before turning to intercept their newest prisoner slash patient.

* * *

Croc's striking eyes cracked open slightly, only vaguely aware of his surroundings. He glimpsed at a red-haired woman barking orders and for a minute, that was all he could come to focus on.

When he felt himself being lifted, an uneasy sense of familiarity came over him and he reached out instinctively to stop what was about to happen. His hand wrapped around the upper arm of the redhead, and at the sound of her gasp, he briefly felt salvation.

"Shit," Her voice came out in frantic acknowledgment. There was a pinch in his wrist and his hand gave out, releasing her.

* * *

Rubbing her arm, Selene watched as the men dropped him into the water. It was mandatory that all patients brought in by the Batman were to be cleansed and purified of all germs, infections, and cuts by getting thrown into a lukewarm bath. It's somewhat like a baptism ritual, and it is also meant to sterilize clothes as well.

Nevertheless, no matter how out-of-sorts he was, Croc's grip was going to leave bruises. While she was no slouch in combat, she quickly realized it would take a bit more than just her to keep him under control. She now both understood and dreaded her role as his handler; she was definitely earning her pay for this.

The moment he made contact with the water, he instantaneously awoke from his daze. An agonized roar erupted from his throat as he thrashed and struggled to escape.

"Not many have that much vigor going in," One of her men observed hesitantly. All backed away from the vat when boiling water sloshed over the sides. Selene donned an unpleasant expression.

"All right, let's get down there. Be ready when they open the hatch; if he's still struggling then bring him down with the prods. Let's not have this become an incident, gentlemen".

"Yes, ma'am"!

She and her men descended from the first catwalk to the second, stopping by the hatch doors.

"Stand ready, men," She barked, pulling out her shock prod. He was still raving like a lunatic; this was about to get ugly.

"Opening hatch doors, boiler nine," An attendant bellowed from somewhere above them. There was a hiss and an eruption of steam as the water-tight seal was disengaged. Hot water spilled out from the opening, and everyone seemed to tense.

Steam billowed up from below as the water hit the drain-pan, and suddenly no one could see. To make matters worse, the ungodly screech of metal twisting met their ears.

"Filthy humans"!

Killer Croc bolted from the boiler and straight ahead, reaching blindly for anyone. His hand managed to find Selene's throat and he lifted her into the air, only to swing her around and shove her into the outer wall of another boiler.

The scalding metal made contact with the bare skin on her arm and she screamed, kicking at the crocodile-man desperately. Croc was holding her at arm's length, however, and she couldn't manage a clean hit. It wasn't until one of her men drew his attention that he released her, but she had to catch herself on the railing of the catwalk to avoid falling into the drain-pan.

Someone came and hoisted her over; the steam was slowly dissipating, and she could vaguely make out the image of Killer Croc grappling with several of the guards. She looked him over for the best approach, and – remembering his wounded leg – ran at him with as much momentum as she could gather. Just as she got close, she ducked down low to fit between his legs and brought her shock prod up behind her, landing a firm hit behind the knee.

He bellowed loudly, staggering back. Someone got a little too close and went flying over the railing and into the drain-pan with a loud splash! As Selene collapsed backwards, the others closed in with their own prods and successfully brought the crime boss down.

It was then that another guard rushed in, carrying a small case. He stopped to salute Selene, who at the sight of him used the railing to pull herself up.

"Ma'am! Tranquilizer," He informed her rather efficiently, holding out the case.

She seized it like a lifeline, pulling out the needle and running toward the mob of thrashing bodies. Darting between her own men, she took a leap of faith and landed somewhere on the creature's massive chest. Gripping the scales on the back of his head just to keep from being thrown back, she brought the needle down hard onto the nearest bit of exposed green skin she could manage.

Croc, who'd begun to convulse either from the pain or the excessive shocks - or both - let out a weary gasp when she pushed down on the plunger. His eyes widened and a white foam pooled around his teeth and escaped over the side of his mouth. Selene couldn't bring herself to remove the needle just yet.

The steam had completely cleared now, and everyone watched as Croc tensed, gave one final convulsion, and collapsed, unconscious again.

* * *

"Not even ten damn minutes and already trouble... the damn steam didn't help matters..." Selene was grumbling to herself, heading toward the Vice Warden's office. The men she passed in the halls stopped to salute her respectfully, but she paid them no mind.

"Steam... steam! Of all the fucking things..."! She reached Law's door and waltzed in without thinking about it. "Why was there steam"?!

Law was leaning back in his chair, reading a report of some kind.

"It's quite common for the boiler room to have steam, Adviser". He remarked absentmindedly.

"Not when water empties into the drain-pan! We keep the damn thing heated so that doesn't happen"!

"Shouldn't you be complaining about this to the maintenance department"?

Selene fell back on the small blue couch in the corner. "Trust me, they heard about it. All I got were a bunch of apologies. 'We'll check on it, ma'am.' 'Please be patient, ma'am.' You know how many people could have died because of this"?

"Calm down. Is this about Waylon"?

She blew a puff of air out in frustration. "Indirectly. Things would have gone a lot smoother if we could have seen shit".

"Did he give you and your men much trouble"?

She nodded. "Plenty, and then some. It started with him trying to drag me into the boiler with him. He's the reason my arm looks purple. And he's the reason my other arm is missing a nice chunk of skin," She informed him, voice dripping with venom. She leaned up to let him get a glimpse of her burn, which was bleeding in places like patchwork. "The second he went into the boiler he went berserk. We were all on our guard. Like I said, if it weren't for the damned drain-pan-"

"You haven't gone to the infirmary"?

"No, not yet. He's in there, though. The injuries he sustained before he got here as well as the trauma he suffered in the boiler room put him in quite a state. They think he might not wake up. Damn it all..." She hissed, inspecting her wound.

"Who's in there with him"?

"Lucy. She owed me a favor. I needed to cool off real quick before heading there".

"Hmm. Well, since you're here I may as well tell you". Law straightened himself out in his chair.

"Tell me what"?

"I went to the warden with your suspicions about Batman. I thought perhaps he could be of some insight. All he told me that this is not the first time Batman has been accused of accepting bribes from criminals and in some cases selling out police secrets to the villains. However, every time someone voices a complaint, it gets mysteriously wiped from the record".

"How"?

"The warden seemed unsure about that. It seems to be coming from higher up the chain of command".

"Ugh; that's ridiculous. Who would be pulling for a guy like him"?

"You got me".

Selene had to think about that. Did the mysterious Dark Knight have any relatives high up in the government? That was the only conceivable thing she could picture, and it would certainly explain that aura of power and wealth that she felt whenever she was near him.

"Let's nail him to the damn wall this time, huh"?

"Don't get so confident. We don't have any proof to speak of".

Selene furrowed her brow, gazing up to the ceiling. If Killer Croc or any of the other crime lords were the ones paying out bribes, then he'd be proof, of sorts. Maybe she could get him to help her take Batman out of the darkness and get him into the light of the public eye. After all, he paid all those bribes for protection from the law that he obviously didn't get.

Law watched her think.

"You're trying to work Waylon into this, aren't you"?

"I could see him being persuaded to pitch in with helping us out, yes".

Her boss' expression hardened. "Forget it. He's not going to work with other humans".

"Well, he was working with humans to take revenge on the man who landed him here. I'm not ready to count it out just yet".

"You've never said two words to the guy. You'd best leave more experienced handlers to try and talk to him. However, if you wish to try to get the information out of him, you have my permission to do so. I'd rather hear what he has to say from you than those snobbish scientists anyway".

"Deal". She chewed her lip, slightly inspired now.

Law stood and walked to the door, "Alright then. Well, you're welcome to stay, but I'm off for dinner now".

Selene sighed reluctantly, getting to her feet. "No, I'll go. Lucy's been working the long shift today, she probably hasn't eaten".

"I could bring you back something, if you like".

She gave him a weak smile. "It's fine. If that damn crocodile is still under sedation, then my job should be fairly easy tonight".

* * *

"I... appreciate you... me out like this..."

"That's... what I'm... for".

Killer Croc struggled to hang on to awareness. Bits and pieces of reality had been trickling in here and there, but this fragment of a conversation was the most lucid thing he'd been able to understand since that fight he'd started with the Batman.

He could still feel the shock pulsing over his skin, even though it had been hours ago. The thought made him dizzy and he suppressed it.

"Is it just me or does the boss-man have it out for the Batman"?

A man's voice questioned from his left. With each passing moment things were growing clearer and clearer.

"Law? I wouldn't say he's fond of him, but I can't see him doing anything unprofessional".

"I know that. I'm not talking about his conduct; everything he's done pertaining to this has been perfectly legal- just what if he's being fueled by something other than justice".

"To be a public servant with intentions other than justice is unprofessional, legal or not. He takes his job very seriously".

"If you say so".

"I say so".

Croc then became aware of his legs dragging along concrete and small hands holding his arms in place. He was partially hoisted onto the shoulders of two people.

"After that mess in the boiler room, we shouldn't be placing him any old holding cell. He should be down on one of the lower levels".

"He hasn't been filed as a returning patient just yet. And he won't be until he wakes up and understands his situation. Ah, this is the one, here".

He felt one half of him dip as one of his captors reached for a set of keys and unlock the door to an empty cell.

"He proved himself a serious threat, today".

"Doesn't he prove that every time we bring him in"? The redheaded woman countered, dragging Croc inside. "It's the nature of the job. And the minute you start to think in terms of individual prisoners, it's over; you've gone paranoid. That mess in the boiler room was more an issue of our blunder than of his calculation. He's no better or worse than anyone else locked up here, just because circumstance played out different this one time".

"You have an answer for everything, don't you, Selene"? The other guard huffed.

"You're just looking for someone to hate and play the bad guy. Well, you've got a whole asylum full of bad guys, so take your pick. But don't recount your logic to me- if it's flawed I'll be the first to say so".

"Fine. Whatever," The man muttered as she shut the cell door. They walked away in silence, and when they were gone Croc propped himself up, shakily.

His head was spinning and his stomach was turned in knots. His vision blurred in and out of focus, and he thought he was going to collapse again. Reaching out to the bars of the cell door weakly, he tried to prop himself up, with little luck. He looked around the cell. There was a toilet and a cot much too small for him. He reached out and tugged the blanket off, hoping to insulate himself from the cement floor. The comfort it provided was minimal, and he shivered.

He tried to roll over. It hurt too much and he gave up. The blanket didn't even wrap around his shoulders entirely, and the little comfort he did take from it only made the rest of his body ache for warmth. Feeling sickness overtake him, he gave a few empty retches before shutting his eyes.

It was hours before he actually managed to fall asleep.

* * *

**Wow… Well that was certainly long-winded. **

**I sure as hell can't promise every chapter is going to be that big but I sure as hell hope they will be.**

**Until the next chapter, my good people!**


	2. An Agreement With Death

**So I have a lot of official business going on in this chapter. Pretty much, I took a bunch of legal-sounding words and just sort of ran with it. Well, more like I took the words and sprinted off down the road in a fit of maniacal laughter, but the point is still there.**

**Nevertheless, I'm pleased with what I have written down and I hope you guys enjoy it as well.**

* * *

Selene stretched out tiredly. She hadn't got enough sleep, but her duty called. Sitting up, she inspected her wound's dressings. Vlad had bullied her into visiting the infirmary after they'd taken Killer Croc to his cell, and so she'd finally gone. The bandages were coming loose after a fitful night's sleep, and she heaved an irritated sigh realizing she'd have to get it re-wrapped before she could finally start her day.

She was just leaving her room when Vlad brushed past her, "Hey you. You know I think there's something wrong with your crocodile guy".

"Why do you say that"? She frowned, checking the knob to make sure her door was locked. It twisted freely.

"I dunno, I walked by and he's still... well... hey what the hell are you doing"?

She was tugging on the handle, trying to jostle it into working order. She then re-opened her door, checked to be sure she'd locked it, and slammed it shut again forcefully, thinking perhaps it simply hadn't caught. The force from her efforts caused the door to swing open violently.

"Stupid thing... it's broken," She grumbled, annoyed.

"Call maintenance then, dummy".

"Like I'd do that after yesterday? No, I'll take care of it when I get back. In the meantime..." She reached over and grabbed a glass of water off her bedside table and placed it just inside the door. "That will have to do".

"Why's it such a big deal if someone goes into your room"?

"I just have a problem with it, is that so hard to understand"?

"Whatever. Hey, seriously though. Go check on your crocodile guy. He looks dead".

* * *

Selene grimaced when she saw Killer Croc's figure still on the ground of his cell. He hadn't moved much since she left him the night before.

Upon opening the cell, she removed her shock prod from her side and cautiously circled around his body to catch a glimpse at his face. His eyes were closed, but he was clearly unwell. Frowning, Selene sheathed her prod and knelt down, checking his vitals. His breath was ragged and shallow, and he was feverish; if she had to guess she'd figure it was some kind of infection.

Well, she'd better get to work.

She grabbed the pillow from the cot and used it to elevate his head. His leg had been set and bandaged at the infirmary, but the asylum's doctors gave more thought and care to their own lives before attempting to treat someone like Killer Croc. They thought he'd eat them by the time they tried to help him.

"_Dammit… I can't let him die… at least not right now…"_ Selene thought inwardly.

Selene then thought back to something she read on Killer Croc's file last night that was one of the few reasons the doctors actually patched him up. Croc was the only prisoner slash patient they knew of that single handily found the old sewer tunnels below the asylum and broke through miles of brick and pipes just to escape. He was the only patient slash prisoner in all of Arkham Asylum's history to do that and that was yet another reason the doctors wanted to study him.

Shaking her head over the experiments these quacks here wanted to do on Croc, she pulled the blanket out from beneath him and then wrinkled her nose. It was wet and smelled foul; his body odor had the scent of fresh sewage and rotten fish. She tossed the blanket outside the cell and got up to go to the sink.

He was a crocodile, right? Water made sense to her.

Filling the small plastic rinse-cup to the brim, she checked the clarity of the water before crouching beside Croc and emptying the contents into his mouth.

"Gla- ack"! He sputtered, jerking abruptly awake.

"Oops..." was the most comprehensive thing to occur to Selene as she backed away, placing one hand defensively on the handle of her prod.

"What the hell"!? Croc growled, sitting up and wiping his face with one of his hands. His yellow eyes then darted to the woman standing defensively with her back to the sink. It was the short-haired redhead he'd seen before. "Who're you supposed to be, bitch"? He questioned her with his deep, rough Cajun accent.

She didn't want to antagonize him further, so she pulled her hand away from her weapon. "My name is Selene. It's my job to... tend to you, while you're in our care, Mr. Jones".

"And who's care is that"?

"That of Arkham Asylum, the government, and its various other affiliates".

"I'm back here, then"?

"Yes".

"Hmm…" That meant the other members of his gang were arrested too. His next course of action was obvious; free his men, get back to Gotham, and pick up where he left off. He turned his full attention directly on the woman, "And your role here is…"?

"I don't see how that's any of your concern," She frowned.

"I need to know," Croc began, getting to his feet, "In order to determine your value as a hostage".

Her eyes widened. She probably should have figured he'd try something like this, but given his condition, he shouldn't have even been sitting up. Now she was pinned in and would have to fight her way out. He was still wounded, but if a fever wasn't keeping him down she wasn't going to count on injury.

Taking a shot when she saw it, she darted to his left toward the door. His hand swept out to catch her and she ducked, rolling outside of the cage. She reached out to close it quickly, but he caught the door before it latched and slid it open again.

Selene then rolled onto her feet and pulled out her shock prod, standing defensively in wait of the beastly man's next move. She was at a huge disadvantage; the holding cells were a remote area inside the asylum, and she hadn't had the presence of mind to ask someone to join her. If there was going to be a fight, she needed to make it a quick one.

He lunged, making an obvious frontal motion which she skirted. He caught himself by planting his hands on the floor and used them to shift his body to face the woman, who was turning back to round on him. The close-quarters were making his combat style a bit more complicated, and he was feeling somewhat faint from the combination of a headache, a lack of food and blood loss, but there was no way he was going to lose to any human and a girl at that.

Croc caught her arm before she brought her prod down, and squeezed until she gasped and dropped her weapon. He then used his other hand to grab her by the midsection and sent her flying into the bars of an empty cell.

Her back and head slammed hard into the metal bars and she cried out, falling on all fours. She felt the warm sensation of fluid running down the back of her head breaking off into small trails down her neck and shoulders. She looked up and saw a blurred vision of Killer Croc walking toward her, much like a predator. Giving up any hope for ending the fight with both of them alive, she unholstered her six-shot and took aim.

Her arms quivered. It was no use. She couldn't see. If the world would just stop spinning for one second...

Croc quickly yanked the gun from her hands and lifted her by the neck. She wrapped both hands around his wrist, trying to find the trick spot she'd used yesterday, but his muscles were tense and she couldn't get a feel for it. She kicked out, but his reach extended beyond the length of her legs and she only managed to strike at air. The ringing in her ears phased in and out like some kind of siren. Her vision had degraded into little more than amorphous swirls of color suggesting vague images.

A gasp for breath. Her sight was dimming. Her own heartbeat thudded in her ears. She was blacking out.

There was a shout and a roar of pain that sounded miles away. Selene felt herself collapse to the floor, but if it hurt she didn't notice. She'd been released, she vaguely understood as she descended into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Here she is; it's a good look for her, don't you think"?

The words lulled her out of sleep. Her eyes blinked open.

"If she does wake up, tell her- oh, never mind". It was Vlad. He smiled at her and then said, "You're a real idiot, you know that"?

"Gee, thanks". She was still a bit dazed.

Law came into view. "I take from the state you're in that your first conversation with Waylon didn't go over quite well".

"You could say that," Selene admitted, looking around. She was in the infirmary, which was more or less deserted for a strange change of pace. "How long have I been under"?

Vlad pulled up a chair to sit at her side. "About an hour. You're lucky I found you, you know. Killer Croc would have killed you".

"Now you understand why I want him in the lower levels," Law said, frowning.

"I still think he can be of use. I want another go".

"Absolutely not. It was a mistake making him solely your responsibility; I'm having an emergency conference to discuss alternative imprisonment until his sentencing".

Selene scooted back to get a better vantage of the two men; her boss was sitting on a loveseat he'd pulled away from the wall, giving her his time-worn scowl that he whipped out whenever he thought she was being reckless. Her brother sat quietly, picking at his fingernails, obviously trying to keep out of their argument.

"I still think that Batman is a bigger problem than Killer Croc".

Both men gave her disbelieving looks.

"Are you stupid"? Vlad exclaimed. "You are! You're stupid"!

Law crossed his arms, "I have a hard time believing that, Adviser".

Selene sighed in frustration. How many times would she have to explain this? "Look, we all knew from the get-go was that Killer Croc was going to be a handful. That's why you assigned me to watch him, right? He couldn't be left to simple guards. This whole situation was my fault. I treated him the same as I would have any other prisoner, when I should have been more cautious".

"Got that right," Vlad interjected. Selene ignored him.

"But if I managed to get him backed into a corner, put him in a position where his only choices are to listen to my offer or sit and rot-"

"Hold it," Law stopped her. "Your phrasing suggests that you plan to make a deal with him. That's not what we agreed on. If he chooses to act on revenge, then fine, but we're not bartering with criminals, Selene".

"Hell, Law, Batman is practically a villain! He represents everything that's wrong with our system but he's doing good deeds like capturing the bag guys just to make himself look good in the eyes of the justice system! He is a detriment to the ideal of justice, and I'm not going to just sit around listening to horror stories about the atrocities he lets happen! Killer Croc's brutality is reason to bring the Batman to justice, not to look the other way"!

The Vice Warden quieted, considering her words, and she took that as a sign to go on. "How many more monsters like Croc is Batman going to let slip through his fingers and create? How many people are going to die so he can make deals with criminals just for spending money? In a way, he's worse than any henchman or brute, because his actions reflect on all of us. If word gets around that the police are taking bribes and no one's looking out for the people, they're not going to trust authorities like us. When a person sees a policeman, they should feel safe, not violated"!

"All right; yes, I see your point. But how would you ever get that rouge to cooperate with us"?

Selene pursed her lips in thought. "Well, I could always just ask him what he wants".

* * *

The nausea was too much. Pushing himself up from the mat, Croc only barely made it to the waste-bucket in time.

Since the last... incident, he'd been moved to a concrete box with an iron door. He'd been given a floor pad to sleep on, had one bucket filled with water, and another bucket for... well, everything else.

There were pros and cons about his new room; he could actually sleep on the bed, but there was no plumbing. Overall, it was a wash.

He wiped his chin and sighed, exhausted. He'd acted impulsively without thought to the consequences. Not only that, he'd lost his temper. What good would the woman have been to him dead? He needed to bide his time, wait until he was in better health and -hopefully- better circumstances. His deals in Gotham City's black market were counting on him; he wouldn't screw this up any more than he already had.

* * *

Law ventured into the assembly room somewhat uneasily. He trusted Selene, believed she wouldn't steer him wrong, but he felt a bit out of place. The warden hadn't outright forbid him from what he was about to do, but he had made it clear that he thought it was suicide of the career and wouldn't have his name tied to it in any way. This wasn't his jurisdiction, and his fellow board members weren't about to put themselves on the line simply because Selene had suspicions. In fact, thinking about it that way made him wonder why in the world he was about to do this.

Oh, yes. Because she'd asked him to.

But he knew she was right in some sort of sense of the word. In the interests of justice, it was his responsibility to report wrongdoings wherever they may happen, whomever may commit them. To pursue, without discrimination, any and all perpetrators in violation of the people's welfare and follow through as an extension of their wrath was, is, and would always be the code he lived by. It was with that thought in mind, after all members of the board had assembled, taken their seats and quieted, that he claimed the floor.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Division of Public Security and Preservation; thank you for your attendance. I've called you here on no small whim; in light of recent information uncovered by people under my direct command, I've come to the conclusion that all of you must be made aware of the situation.

"The Dark Knight, aka the Batman, is currently under suspicion of misconduct in violation of code eleven of the Virtue of Authority Act. He is suspected of neglecting his own responsibilities that he set for himself as the city's protector, as well as accepting bribes and in some cases, causing outright harm to innocent civilians. In addition, though the reports are currently unsubstantiated, he has been accused of the mishandling or outright trading of government secrets".

The room erupted in a whirl of hushed voices and shifting seats. One man, the Vice Minister of Judicial Conduct, stood to address the Vice Warden.

"Have you any evidence to support your so called claims"?

"Some. Currently we are only in the beginning stages of gathering evidence. As of yet, no charges have been laid against the named, and none will be until we have absolute certainty of guilt. The purpose of this meeting was nothing more than to inform you of the grave possibility of a leak in our system, and to warn you of what information you relay, and how, and to whom. I also sought to make you aware of the presence of an internal investigation, so in the event that I or my people need to ask any of the esteemed members of the board any questions, it will come as no surprise".

"And on who's authority," the Vice Minister continued, "Are you carrying out this investigation yourself"?

"On my own, yes".

"You did not seek approval from your superiors before proceeding? You're aware that your department is concerned with nothing more than confinement, and any necessary investigation should be made by Gotham City's own detectives themselves"?

"In special situations, Vice Minister, individuals in other departments may step in when necessary. I felt there was a conflict of interest in allowing the marines to conduct this investigation. And given the compromised integrity of the marines, there are some sources that will only correspond with me or my men. I'm sorry if this undermines your authority, but I had little choice but to carry on as I did".

"And you didn't think to warn me beforehand of your... actions pertaining to this? This is my department".

"This is my warning, sir. As of yet, there is no official investigation. However, in the interests of justice I trust that all of you will be perfectly willing to cooperate should I or any of my men require your assistance. Are there any questions"?

The Vice Minister chewed his lip in thought, clearly frustrated, but took his seat. A woman sitting in the back of the room spoke up.

"Which of us may expect to be questioned? And when"?

Law shook his head. "I apologize, but I have no way of knowing. Such things will be determined in the course of the investigation. And while justice is our first and foremost priority, we will do our best to inconvenience you as little as possible. Is there anything else you would like to ask"?

No one else said a word, and Law visibly relaxed somewhat. This went a lot smoother than he'd envisioned. "Then on that note, ladies and gentlemen of the board, I move for adjournment".

He raised his hand in support of his motion, and an "aye" echoed throughout the room. With no objections, everyone gathered their things and stood to depart.

* * *

There was something of a knock at his door that caused Croc to raise a brow. Who the hell could that be? And why the hell would they bother to knock?

"This is Security Adviser Selene. I have come to discuss a few things with you, Mr. Jones".

Croc snorted, half in amusement, half in disgust. What the fuck could she possibly have to talk about with him?

"Um… Do you understand me, I mean can you respond"?

The beastly man rolled his amber eyes, "Yeah, yeah,"

"Then please state your current location if you would".

"In bed".

"We're preparing to enter your cell. Please be aware that any aggressive behavior on your part will result in immediate and painful consequences".

"Hmph. Whatever you say, bitch".

"I need your acknowledgment of the situation, prisoner".

Croc had to take a deep breath at the word prisoner; she was really on a power trip now. "I understand, ma'am," He snapped sarcastically. If she really had a problem with his attitude, then she would've mentioned it by now.

The heavy door came open and the familiar redhead entered, flanked by two guards armed with shock prods. They both looked tense and jumpy, and Croc had to really suppress the urge to jump up and shout boo! He'd probably be the only one to find it funny though, and he's was kind of sick of being electrocuted at this point.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Jones"? The woman asked, crossing her arms and looking him over.

"Never better," He answered defiantly.

"Really..." She looked around the dimly-lit room, until her eyes settled on his waste-bucket that was filled to the rim with puke. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Take that outside," She ordered. The guard to her left covered his nose and mouth with one hand and lifted the bucket with the other.

"You have quite an opportunity for someone in your position, you know," She began, leaning against the wall.

"Is that so"?

"First, though, let me ask you a question. What is your opinion of the Batman, Mr. Jones"?

Croc frowned. Now what did he have to do with anything besides being the one human he absolutely hated the most? "He's lunch".

"Oh, no? That's rather generous of you to say, considering…" She trailed off.

"Considerin' what, ya bitch"?!

"You're aware that he claims to have single-handedly incapacitated you and your men, apprehended you, and brought you here"?

He did, did he? Still, Croc didn't feel like going on a rampage about how much he wanted to tear the Batman limb from limb and devour his guts. All he did was let go a deep, unsettling growl.

Selene inspected his face; he was clearly enjoying messing with her but he didn't enjoy subject involving the Batman. Croc wasn't taking the situation as seriously as she'd like- not that she really expected him to play ball in the first place, but still. He had an engraved mistrust of humans, so approaching him with an obvious hidden agenda was only going to get her snarky comments and a self-satisfied smirk. All right then. She'd lay all her cards on the table and see where it got her.

"I'm going to say this very plainly," Selene left the wall to approach him, crouching just a couple feet from where he sat. She had to look up to see his face while she balanced on the balls of her feet like this, but she wanted to make him feel like they were on somewhat even ground. "I don't like the Batman. I don't much care for you either, but that's not the point. He is this close to being guilty of accepting bribery from you and your men a couple of times, along with other villain's bribes, and I want him held accountable for those times that you rouges managed to escape the great Dark Knight. Unfortunately, I don't have anything qualifying as 'proof'".

Croc raised a brow. This conversation was getting more and more interesting.

"You are the proof I need to bring the police department down on the Batman's head. I need you to testify about any and all dealings that you might've had with him or heard of him partaking in".

The monstrous man, who'd managed to keep relatively silent for most of her speech, threw his head back and laughed derisively, causing Selene to scowl.

"You actually think I'd work with ya to... to... hahahahahaha"!

He carried on like that for some time, and the Security Adviser let out an exasperated huff of air waiting for him to finish.

When he was finally done, she started up again.

"Assuming you're quite finished..." Croc had a hand covering his mouth, nothing but the utmost mirth reflected in his eyes, as he signaled for her to continue. "I don't expect you to do this for nothing, however. I'm willing to make a deal with you".

He managed to stifle his amusement enough to ask, "What do I get"?

"Whatever you want, within reason of course. So long as I think it's worth the trouble. Keep in mind that your testimony is only worth so much".

Killer Croc thought on it for a couple of seconds. "And if I asked to see someone"?

"It would depend on who the person was, and the nature of the visit. You would only get five minutes".

"Fifteen? Bitch, you got to be kiddin' me"!

Selene wasn't sure how to respond to his audacity. "The offer is on the table. Take it or leave it, Mr. Jones".

"What difference does ten more minutes make"?

"You tell me".

It was Croc's turn to scowl. "Fine. I want to see the Batman".

Selene was truly surprised by this. She had expected him to ask for a family member, but remembering his file and the abuse he was put through as a small child, she hadn't pegged him to be any type of family man.

"Alright, I'll run it by my boss for approval first, and if there's no problems then we'll contact him and see if we can get him to talk to you".

"Just so we're clear, bitch," Croc stated in a not-so-fast kind of way with his rough Cajun accent, "You don't get nothin' until I know for a damn fact that I'm gonna talk to that son of a bitch. I want to see his fuckin' masked face before I say anythin'. Deal"?

Perhaps out of habit, or simply because he thought it would bind her more firmly to her word, he held out his scaled hand. And though she wanted to point out that if– for whatever reason –they couldn't get in touch with the Dark Knight so easily, he would have every right to choose an alternative form of recompense, she couldn't bring herself to say it aloud. Something about the look on his face and the look in his eye told her that he would accept nothing less than the prescribed terms, and that if she was serious about her offer she would find a way to make it happen.

And so, she took his scaly green hand.

* * *

**Ahha!**

**I actually managed to make this one longer than the first chapter! Only by a small margin, of course, but sometimes it is the little victories while writing a story or a fanfic that make it all worthwhile.**

**Still, now I must start on the third chapter so see you guys at its posting.**

**Until next time.**


	3. Killer

**Merry Christmas, readers of Fanfiction! **

**So I'm not much in the mood to give much of a summary of the chapter, so I'll just leave it up to you guys to find out what happens for yourself. **

**Although, I will say there will be a lot of close calls in this chapter and that's as far as the warnings go.**

* * *

"Tell me again why I'm going"?

"Because Looker is still downtown trying to deal with the mess Killer Croc made and between the two of us your job is less important".

"I resent that. I really do".

"Resent it all you want, as long as you keep packing; they're waiting on you".

Selene was doing most of the work, rummaging through his drawers and closet, selecting the garments he'd be most inclined to wear to meet the Dark Knight. Her brother sat on his bed, eyes glazed over as if he were preparing to go back to sleep.

"Why does it have to be so fucking early"? Vlad groaned rhetorically, falling back onto his sheets. When it looked like he was about to shut his eyes, Selene tossed his boots at him.

"Unless your plan is to go in your underwear, you might want to get dressed".

He grunted in reply, sitting back up slowly.

"So why all the special treatment"?

"What do you mean? Am I being too nice to you"?

"To the half bred crocodile".

Selene paused, a wad of socks in one hand. She turned to frown at Vlad, "He's not getting special treatment".

"I'm going all the way to meet the friggin' Batman, for him. He hasn't even been placed in an actual lower level yet".

"He hasn't been sentenced, just yet".

"So when is that ever gonna happen"?

She shrugged, moving the bag from his floor to the bed and cramming the socks inside. "Law said he wanted me to get Croc in level four under the asylum. To do that, I have to give the sentencing committee good reason as to why he has to be put down underground in the first place".

"So you're gonna make a case against him, even though he's helping you with that flying rat-bastard, Batman"?

"I thought you didn't like him; why do you sound so offended"?

"It's not about him, it's about you. It just sounds kind of... two-faced".

Selene caught his joke and turned to give him a look that pretty much said 'Are you fucking serious'?

"The man tried to kill me. I'm not very concerned about being two-faced," Selene said with some degree of finality, entering the bathroom to take inventory of his hygiene. Vlad fell into silence, but the air was not cleared.

When she re-entered to pack his toothbrush and razor, he wore a look of uneasiness.

"What is it, Vlad? You never think this much".

It took him a while to answer. "Do you ever stop to wonder that maybe, even after all you've done and how right you thought you were, maybe you're wrong? Really, really wrong"?

"I don't get your meaning".

"Well, like..." He sighed, searching for words, "Like when you're at a restaurant, maybe. And you're in one of those moods where you know you're hungry, you just don't know for what? And so, you just order what you usually get 'cuz you think it's good enough. Only, you start to notice things about it this time. Like it took forever to get to your table, and it looks overdone, and you think the waiter mighta buried a pebble in it so you'd chip your tooth-"

"Why would a waiter want to chip your tooth"?

"I don't know. Maybe he's a dick waiter- that's not the point. It's just, you thought what you ordered was what you wanted, but when you finally get it you realize... it's just not good enough anymore".

Selene took a seat next to him, looking at her lap. "You're not happy"?

"I used to be. I don't know what it is. I guess... I'm just feeling kind of down lately. Who knows, maybe this trip to the Police Station to meet the Dark Knight himself is exactly what I need to get back on my feet," He ventured, patting his sister on the shoulder. "You done"? He asked, gesturing to the bag. She nodded and he zipped it closed.

* * *

Law stood by Selene's side, waving farewell to Vlad as he shrunk into the distance on the stern of a coastguard vessel, bound for Gotham City. "I hope he's careful. A lot of police hold grudges against Arkham Asylum's guards since the prisoners tend to escape too often, and Vlad tends to be a bit... well, stupid, when it comes to tact".

"If they circle around to the uptown area, they shouldn't have any trouble. We just have to hope he doesn't cut through the city". She was leaning against the rail, looking somewhat forlorn. He wondered briefly if he should say something when she interrupted his thoughts, "Hey, I never asked you; how'd your meeting with Waylon go"?

"Better than expected. But I expected to be packing up my office right about now, so take it for what it is".

"So damn pessimistic,"

She half-smiled, looking out at the water. The coastguard ship had disappeared over the horizon already. They were silent for a few moments, until she spoke again.

"Do you ever wonder about this world we live in"?

Law was taken slightly aback at the sudden question. "Constantly".

"What about your actions? Or the actions of the people you work for"?

"What are you getting at, Selene"?

She frowned into the distance. "I'm not sure... I just got to thinking. Our whole system... it's a like a shell, isn't it? It wouldn't be here without us. We take our jobs so seriously, as if we answer to some higher power. But our system is given power by people. So then... why do I have this feeling like we're doing something horribly wrong"?

The Vice Warden watched her as she spoke, concern written all over his expression. "Where is this coming from? Did something happen"?

Selene sighed and turned her back on the sea. "No, nothing happened. Well, nothing noteworthy. I guess I'm just thinking too much; don't worry about it," She shrugged it off, pushing herself away from the railing and heading for the stairs.

Law watched her go, worried.

* * *

Killer Croc had proven to be somewhat tolerable in recent days. He agreed to stop attempting to slaughter the guards and doctors in exchange for some actual medical treatment– at Selene's insistence– and only after she pointed out that if he died he'd never see the Batman.

His dislike for humans was still very much a factor, however. He would only accept food and medicine administered by Selene, and would only be examined by a doctor if she was in the room. It was his insurance policy; firstly because he was paranoid someone would try to assassinate him and the redhead appeared to have every reason to keep him alive. And secondly, he was bargaining from a position of weakness, so he had to be sure nothing happened to make her think he wasn't worth the effort.

Not that it didn't make him sick, having to answer to a human like that.

Selene gave a quick knock to warn him she was entering, and when she came through the door the beastly man looked at her expectantly. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms.

"I just sent one of my guys to meet up with the Batman. It'll take him about a week to reach him by the time they go through all the paper work. It will also depend on how cooperative he's feeling, he could be here at any time or in a couple of weeks. We have no real way of knowing".

The thickness of the air made her curious and in spite of herself she sniffed it; it took all of her self-restraint to keep from openly gagging. She blinked the water from her eyes and snuck a glance at his waste-bucket, which was about half-full.

"Then in a couple of weeks, you'll have your proof". The way he said it irked her, like he'd assumed she had already forgotten the deal. She didn't need to be reminded. "Is that it"? He asked, somewhat impatiently.

"What's the hurry? Late for something, I mean it's not you're going anywhere anytime soon".

"Not at all, cher. I just like to limit my contact with humans; I'd hate to start reekin' like ya".

She wanted to point out the bucket filled with pungent waste sitting near the foot of his mat, but thought better of it. However, as rude as he might be, she wasn't one to kick a man when he was down.

It was very tempting, though.

"Fair enough," She disengaged, leaving.

Croc watched her go, mostly for the sake of occupying himself. It got really boring at times, sitting around with nothing to do but count the dots on the ceiling. He honestly wouldn't have minded her company for a while longer, but he'd tear the scales off of his chest before he'd admit that out loud. In truth, it was the lack of living contact, the isolation of this place that was killing him on the inside.

At least the last time he was here, the guards placed him in the same cell as Bane. The two of them got along fairly well during the time they spent together, and the two of them even managed to come up with an escape plan.

However, Bane was out there in Gotham City at the time and probably trying to get the Batman off of his trail before he pulls off some sort of heist. That meant that no one else in the asylum could be in the same room as Killer Croc without the guards unless they wanted to die.

Selene was set as his caretaker and only visited him when it was to ask him something, tell him something, or of throw food inside his cell. Still, he couldn't deny that it was better than being placed in full on isolation. Besides, she'd definitely get fired if her superiors found out she was voluntarily in the same cell as Croc. She must've wanted to not want to risk it even though it seemed like she still had more to say to him or just say anything at all. Although, Croc guessed that she'd admit to that or anything relating to it when the pits of hell froze over.

As soon as the door slammed shut behind her, Selene stood for a moment with a frown on her face. The guard posted outside looked at her.

"Something the matter, ma'am"?

"He needs a toilet," She observed dryly before walking away.

* * *

Something made him shoot up. He didn't know what it was. The door hadn't opened. No, there was something else... a hissing noise he'd never heard before.

Croc thought he could smell something... a slight burning sensation in his nostrils. But no, that couldn't be. He was just paranoid. Yeah that was probably it. He tried to lay himself down and back to sleep, but couldn't bring himself to close his eyes. Something just felt wrong and he sensed it plain as day.

He inhaled through his nose again, just to check. This time the burning was more noticeable and he sat up again, touching the side of his hand to his nostrils.

Blood. His blood.

It was an alarming find that brought him to his feet and stumbling to the door, beating it with his fists. When had he started feeling lightheaded?

"H-hey... Hey! Hey! Open up, bastards! There's a gas leak"!

No answer.

What the hell? There was always someone outside his door, and they always at least peeked in on him when he raised a fuss.

He backed up and rammed his shoulder into the door. It jolted, but didn't give. He rammed it again. And again. The sound echoed around the holding block, with no one nearby to hear.

* * *

It was early morning, and that was as much she knew. She'd gone to bed much like she normally did, with designs on lucid dreaming and a glass of water at her bedside. Nothing appeared amiss then.

But she was awake, and that itself was strange.

She wasn't sure how long she laid there, listening. Maybe a minute. Maybe five. It was when she finally opened her eyes that she discovered the source of her misgivings in the form of the barrel of a flintlock.

The shot was fired, but she'd rolled off the bed and at the attacker's feet. Feathers rained down; the attacker swore and began to reload.

"_A gun in close combat"?_ She thought as she kicked his knee with all her force and he jerked back, dropping the rounds in his hands. She got up and decked him from the right. He was forced backwards and his head slammed hard against the threshold of her doorway.

He slid to the ground, unresponsive. Upon closer inspection, she saw he was average height, with a shaved head and guard uniform. Selene kicked the gun away from his hands and checked his pulse. At least he was alive.

"What kind of assassin uses a rifle at close range..."? She said to herself, frowning. More importantly, why was he trying to kill her? Where had he come from? And how did he get in her room?

Oh. Right. She hadn't gotten around to fixing her doorknob yet. Fucking maintenance department… Well, still- who the hell was he?

She searched his pockets and inside his jacket, pulling out a folded-up piece of paper. Opening it, she saw it was handwritten in elegant script.

Room 217. The door will be unlocked. Inside a woman, roughly over five-and-a-half feet tall, blood red hair, slender. Handle however you like, but she will be aggressive. Get her at the same time as the others.

Others. Others to be killed?

She had to get to Law- he'd know what to do. But what about her would-be killer? She stared at him for a long moment, and had an idea.

* * *

Law had been up most of the night, reading. It wasn't typical for him to be up this late, but he just couldn't sleep. Normally he'd try to remedy it with warm milk or some calming tea, but tonight he was just a bit too on-edge.

The things Selene had said really bothered him. About the choices and the actions. They struck something in him; a sense of doubt and worry that he'd encountered long ago, but never actually resolved. Her words sounded exactly like the things he used to wonder as a young man. Questioning the foundation of justice and its society, and the intentions of respectable men, second-guessing who the real criminals were. It was the idealistic ponderings of rebellious youth, except that expressions of such views usually arose out of indignation and passion- an image of what the world ought to be and utter confidence that one was correct. Selene had spoken just the opposite; a quiet, uncertain, tentative realization that only worried her. She wanted to believe in the system she was a part of; so much so that blinded herself to its flaws. But she'd come to face something that made her confront the complete devastation of what she'd believed all her life.

And if it was enough to pull her away from her image of justice, then it was enough for him to be worried about.

A door slammed somewhere in the hall, pulling him from his thoughts. No one should have been coming or going; this was a sealed floor at this hour. Law got to his feet and left the office to investigate, stopping just outside the door when he heard voices.

"...should be asleep, dammit".

"Should we go back"?

"We have orders; we'll just wait".

"We can't wait here forever; the others are doing their jobs now, as soon as the bodies are discovered-"

"The bodies shouldn't be discovered until morning, at least".

"And the Vice Warden should be asleep by now, but his light is still on".

He couldn't see them, but he could tell where they were. His office window looked straight down the hall they were in, with his door just off to the side and out of sight. They couldn't see him standing there and he took the opportunity to circle around. When he came up behind them, he saw that there were three, dressed in dark clothes and crouched around the corner in a huddle.

"Should we try to take him on"? One of them whispered. Unsheathing his baton, Law grinned, quite amused.

"Honestly, I wouldn't advise it," He offered. The three instantly whirled around to face his slim, fit stomach before he brought his weapon down swiftly upon them.

He retrieved a stretch of rope from his office and came back to tie them up. As he was doing so, Selene burst through the metal hatch, panting. She stopped upon seeing her boss, already awake and... and he was tying people up... and it only took a second for her to recognize the situation.

"They came after you too, huh"?

"They aren't very competent. How many came for you, Selene"?

"Just one, but he damn near did the job. I might need to replace my mattress..."

"Where is he now"?

Selene smirked, "I strung him up by his ankles, like Batman usually does. He's currently dangling over the rail in the foyer".

"You've got quite a sense of humor about it, considering he attempted to take your life".

"Yeah I know, I'm told I'm too forgiving when it comes to attempts on my life. Anyway, it's good to see you're still breathing".

He shrugged. "Been in worse situation with better assassins". He then turned his attention back to the unconscious men on the floor. "I found them bickering," He explained, and she snorted.

"I don't know whether to be thankful or offended; whoever sent them must not think much of us in the ways of our strength".

"Do you think they're after anyone else"? He asked, tightening the rope around one of the assassins' wrist.

"I hope not, but I found a note that makes me think they were planning multiple attacks simultaneously".

"I got that impression too. Raise the alarm and get everyone on the alert; we have a breach in security and there's a high chance others may be in danger".

"Right away, sir".

* * *

Killer Croc took in a raspy breath. He was currently lying on the ground, mouth pressed up against the little space under the door. It hadn't taken him long to discover that the gas was entering through his vent, and that the air in the hall was probably clean. He didn't know where the fuck his guard had gone, but if he could hold out until breakfast, then Selene would discover him. That was what he was counting on right now anyway.

He'd long ago lost the energy to stand. He'd dunked his blanket in his water-bucket and used it to cover his head from the air in his room. It was more or less working, but the air coming from under the door was limited and not enough to completely fill his lungs. He was already lethargic, and the short oxygen supply was making him sleepy.

But he couldn't close his eyes. If he slept, he'd die. Simple as that.

He coughed and a couple drops of blood flew out past his mouth. He was worried; he'd had many close calls in his day, but this was the closest by far. It was an enemy he couldn't fight; whoever was doing this was clever.

* * *

It had been about an hour; Selene had quickly scrambled the guards and got everyone in the asylum up and active. No one had reported any attempts on their lives, and apart from the usual disappearances in level five and some deaths on the lower levels that raised no suspicion, almost everyone in the prison had been accounted for. There were a few guards who had disappeared, though Selene figured they'd just gotten mixed up in the confusion. Nevertheless, it would probably be wise to track them down.

After all, the breach occurred somehow.

She stopped into the shift office for the names of those who didn't report in; there were about sixteen on the list. Nine were found dead; all prisoners residing in the levels. The other seven were still missing; three prisoners, four guards.

When Selene looked for the ID numbers, one was unlisted and she could have smacked herself for not thinking of it sooner. Only one prisoner slash patient was unlisted that she knew of.

* * *

Footsteps. Quick ones. Someone was coming.

Killer Croc raised a shaky arm and banged frantically on the door. The footsteps stopped and he heard the scraping of metal; a key in the lock. He was saved.

The door was yanked open and Selene stood, out-of-breath, but she was there. She grabbed one of Croc's scaled arms and dragged him out into the hall, where he rolled onto his back and gulped down air. "Are you alright"?

"Do I fuckin' look like I'm alright"? He snapped between quick, deep breaths. She sighed, relieved. She shut the door to the cell and sat, wondering what this meant.

"Where the fuckin' hell was my guard"? Croc growled deeply, like it was her fault.

"He's listed as missing. He never checked in".

"What the fuck…?! That just happens? I almost killed over, ya bitch"!

"That's probably why it happened," She said, agitated. He wasn't letting her think.

Okay; so as far as she knew, someone tried to kill her, Law, and Killer Croc. What did all three of them have in common? Batman was the only thing that came to mind, but that didn't make sense. The Dark Knight didn't know he was being investigated. Unless the guilty party was the same person who'd been clearing up his messes all these years... in which case, they had access to information only privileged officials were granted. So either someone at Law's meeting was guilty, or they blabbed to someone else.

But why resort to killing Killer Croc in Arkham Asylum? Why not just wait until he broke out again? And how did they know about her involvement in this for that matter? Was someone watching them? Her heart skipped a beat when she realized Vlad could be in danger as well. As soon as she took care of Croc, she'd have to find a way to reach him.

"Can you walk, Mr. Jones"? Selene asked, using the wall to stand. Really she hoped he'd say no since if he could walk then there was a good chance that he could kill her. Still, he was feverish and still feeling the effects of fighting against the Batman, so there was also a good chance that she wouldn't end up his breakfast.

"Of course I can walk," He shot back, sitting up. He tried to get to his feet, but he seemed to get dizzy. Selene approached him with a hand extended, but it only served to make him grumpier. Croc ignored it and rocked back to build up momentum, finally landing on his feet. Just as well; she couldn't lift him anyway.

He swayed and used the walls for support the entire walk to the infirmary; she'd have to sit with him as long as he was there, but she was anxious about Vlad. Her brother was capable, but not very smart. If she had to guess, she'd say he was about on-par with the assassins she encountered tonight.

She compromised and called Law on the ward's wall phone; he had his cellphone which he carried with him, and when he answered she explained her concern. He agreed and left for his office to make the call on a phone with better range.

When she was done, she went back to Croc's side. He was still bleeding from the orifices on his face, which was kind of alarming to see, but the nurse assured them that with rest and medicine and clean air, he'd recover in a few days.

The nurse left to care for other patients, and Selene and Croc sat quietly for a few minutes. He was the one to break the silence.

"It was too damn close this time. Ya could've come a bit sooner".

"Sorry, I was a little busy with problems of my own, Jones".

Croc looked slightly startled after she said that. "They after you too, huh"?

"Looks to be that way".

"Why"?

Selene shrugged. "I have theories, but nothing for certain yet. I hope you know I came running the moment I thought you might be in danger".

Croc found the confession strange, like she was trying to make him feel better. He still felt like shit, but that she was making the effort at all was surprising to him. Was it true? Had she been worried? Truly worried about someone like him?

"_About her case against the Bat,"_ He reminded himself. Still, he felt uncomfortable, letting her words hang in the air like that. He felt something was due, and so with a gruff and unfamiliar sense of honor nagging at him in the back of his mind, he shifted in his seat and offered a quiet, "Thanks".

* * *

**Yeah, I'll leave it at that for this chapter.**

**So happy holidays, folks, and be nice to your ol' writer here and leave me a present (aka a review) just for the fact it's Christmas! **

**So yeah... until next chapter!**


	4. Making Progress

**This is the continuation from the third chapter of this here story into the fourth chapter of this here story.**

**I really have nothing else to say right now so let the newest chapter commence!**

* * *

Killer Croc had a new room. Again.

He was satisfied enough with it, he supposed. It wasn't much different from the others, except that it was better in every way. Not only did he have plumbing, but he had something akin to a bathroom. There was no door, but since no one else was here there was no need for one. He had a toilet, a sink, a small cabinet, and a shower. A shower. The water was always freezing because it came directly from outside, but he didn't give a damn. The feel of water on his skin was something he'd longed for since the beginning of his captivity and he would do anything he could to keep it.

The mat from his old room had been moved to this one. He had a steel barred window, which was perhaps his favorite feature. He could watch the water. It also put him at ease, because he didn't have to worry about things like gas leaks, and truthfully, there was nothing like sea-air for him to take in.

The most important thing, however, was its location. Directly next to that woman.

Croc had found it odd that she chose to reside in an abandoned cell block next to his, but if he had to guess, he'd say she wasn't much of a people person. He wasn't going to complain; she proved herself slightly more competent than the average Arkham guard.

Currently, he was standing on his hands with his feet against the wall. It was the only way he found push-ups challenging anymore, and he saw no reason to sit around doing nothing now that he could wash away the sweat.

As he began his first set, he wondered about his close-call. The woman claimed to have theories, but she never parted with any. Would she tell him, if he asked? Croc wasn't sure. Most likely not, even though he felt he had a right to know.

He'd have to find a way to get it out of her; she was too clever to be easily fooled. He'd have to test the waters by bringing up the issue and gauging her reaction.

* * *

Selene was sitting at a table with one of the few female guards at Arkham Asylum and one of the few females in the place that didn't act like an ass or a know-it-all. So dinning near her friend Lucy, Selene was enjoying eating her lunch in silence for a rather nice change of pace, when an arm draped around her shoulders.

"Oh, Miss Grey, how are you today"? Sam purred in her usual sultry sing-song. The Adviser merely scowled and continued eating. "And our darling little Lucy..."?

"Good afternoon, Sam," The other woman offered pleasantly as she brushed her long, blonde hair out of her face. "I heard that you just returned from your trip to Metropolis".

"I did. Mmmm, such a lovely place for watching Superman duke it out with some of his own baddies, truly it was". Lucy nodded politely. "Oh, before I forget; Miss Grey-"

"Adviser," Selene cut in. Sam huffed.

"Adviser Grey-"

"Just Adviser".

Sam stared at her a long moment, as if daring Selene to interrupt her again. "Adviser. The Vice Warden asked to see you after your break. Mmm, I like the sound of spring rolls," She meandered off, and Selene tossed the rest of her salad in the trash bin.

"Oh, Selene, you haven't finished eating. You shouldn't waste food like that". Lucy told her as she readjusted her glasses.

"You know she's coming back. I'll starve before suffering that woman any longer than I have to," Selene announced, getting up from her seat. Chief Guard Samantha Woodward was everything she despised in a person; shameless around everyone, undisciplined in the rules of the asylum, and unprofessional in every sense of the word.

"I don't think she's so bad," Lucy observed, watching the scantily-clad woman tease the line cook. "I mean she gets the job done and keeps her prisoners- I mean patients- in check".

"Well, then you can eat with the crazy bitch. I'm gonna go see what the hell Law wants from me this time".

* * *

Selene flung his door open without so much as a quick tap to warn him. It was something he was long used to, he'd just prefer it if she'd try to catch the door before it hit his bookshelf and skewed all his nick-knacks.

"You sent that pink, flamboyant closet-case to tell me to come see you"?

"It was convenient for me, and I thought you might like to know what I was able to get from our assassins".

"Wh- oh. You talked to them"?

"I did; I discovered two things- most importantly, that there is still another perpetrator at large. He is the one responsible for the attack on Waylon Jones".

"And the other"?

Law smiled reassuringly, "From what I can tell, no one else was a target".

Selene visibly relaxed. So Vlad would be okay. "So what about this... other man? Any idea who he is"?

Her boss frowned. "It's as we feared, Selene. He's one of our own".

"So... that means that we basically have to evaluate every single guard in Arkham Asylum"?

"Some we can rule out already, but yes, we have our work cut out for us".

"Ugh"! She took a seat and let her head fall back against the wall. "Law, you've got to fucking kidding me! If we start asking everyone questions, then he'll catch wind that we're on to him"!

"Then ask no questions".

She raised her head slightly to get a look at his expression. "You have a plan"?

Law nodded, looking slightly pleased with himself. "After learning about his poison gas method, I went down to the ventilator room to have a look for myself. Sure enough, I found this," He used his foot to slide a black, mechanical-looking box from behind his desk.

"Wait... that... I've seen one of those somewhere".

"Do you recall the Technical Ingenuity Conference we attended last year"?

Selene got to her feet in sudden understanding, "Right! Bruce Wayne hosted that event on the recommendation that that company gave him to insure their product's success. Their device was on display as a prototype from one of those big manufacturing firms! It houses chemicals that react dangerously with air".

"The firm is Veera Developers. The device was designed for use by the marines, but they weren't interested because the cost of materials was too great. So Veera tried to catch the attention of other buyers at the conference; only the prototype didn't hold much appeal because the conference itself was a charity event".

"So our guy somehow got his hands on it"?

"Allow me to paint a picture for you." Law tossed her a napkin; she recognized his shorthand and gathered that he'd been taking notes in a hurry. "The prototype fails both at private exhibitions and the TIC. When it's discovered there's no money to be made, Veera scraps the project. A year later, one shows up in our prison. So I contact the company and ask if the project was ever sold, stolen, or distributed. I learn that only three were ever made, and that up until recently they remained in storage. However, just a month ago Bruce Wayne mysteriously purchased one of the three devices, but it was apparently taken apart and studied. Then I happened to learn that just last week a private citizen arrived claiming to be a collector, and asked to purchase one of the boxes. The sale was conducted personally by the firm's chief executive officer".

"So the collector is our culprit"?

"Not so fast. Remember that these men are hired hands. Care to take a guess as to who the CEO of Veera Developers is"?

Selene shook her head, "I wouldn't have the slightest clue, sir".

"Bartholomew Chambers, Minister of International Affairs."

"You mean one of the council members"?

Law nodded.

"So he's the one who's been clearing all of those accusations of him excepting briberies all these years"?

"It appears to be that way".

"Alright. So Chambers attends your meeting, and he learns that you plan on collaring the Dark Knight. So that forces him to hire someone to kill the people who know details about the investigation. Did he stage one of the assassins to purchase the box"?

The Vice Warden sighed. "That's what's bothering me. Two pieces aren't fitting; why would he go to such extremes for such a criminal, and why would he use a device that so obviously points back to him"?

"It would make sense if the Batman actually provides some kind of service worth killing for. And we could assume we weren't meant to find the device; I mean, they meant to kill us and obviously failed- it's reasonable to think that they made other mistakes".

He tapped his chin. "Perhaps. Take another look into the Batman's activities and see if you can't find the link between him and Chambers. I'll speak to the CEO".

"Right, sir".

* * *

Selene approached the door slowly and knocked on it with her usual double-tap before opening it. She was careful opening the door with a lunch tray under her arm and expecting to find Killer Croc asleep in his cell. Although, she wasn't expecting to find Croc hanging upside-down from the ceiling pipes that somehow held up his weight.

"Err... lunch," She announced, trying not to look alarmed. She set the tray on the floor and turned to go when his voice stopped her.

"Do ya know who's tryin' to kill us"?

She paused, unsure of how to respond, or whether to respond at all. The man who'd tried to kill Killer Croc was still out there, but should she tell him that?

He didn't miss her moment of hesitation. "If you were plannin' on tellin' me the truth, it wouldn't take you so long to answer".

"I'm not obligated to tell you anything, so don't act so don't act all entitled to get something out of me".

Croc unhooked his feet from the pipes and dropped to the floor. Selene turned to watch him with a wary eye. "Listen, woman; whatever you're up to, you're gettin' me mixed up in it. So don't you go actin' like you've got more to lose than me".

That pissed her off. "What, your life? You threw that away when you became a lowlife criminal; you landed yourself here and now your answering for it. If you want to bitch about your situation, then go right on ahead, but you're not going to make me feel like the bad guy". She tugged the hatch closed and marched off, too frustrated to notice that the lizard-man was surprisingly not trying to kill or scream at her through the door.

"_Well,"_ He thought to himself, _"that answers that"._

* * *

The night sky glittered with stars, but there was no moon. Vlad lit up a cigarette, sitting near the edge of the rooftop of the police building. Selene was right; he had been thinking an awful lot lately.

He wasn't happy. It took him a long time to figure that out. He loved working with his sister, and honestly felt more at ease that she wasn't doing such a dangerous job by herself, but he had a harder time than her accepting government-sanctioned justice. He felt like a hypocrite; he wished he could make peace with his past as easily as Selene, but then again, she wasn't guilty of his crimes.

He'd hoped perhaps that playing a role in justice would atone for his past, and perhaps it did, but he couldn't deny the truth. And the truth was, he was miserable.

Commissioner Gordon took a seat at a table that was set up on the rooftop. "You look like you could use a drink, son". He offered the young man, but Vlad merely shook his head.

"Thanks, I'll pass," He said, getting up. He didn't feel like having any company right now.

"You only live once, you know," Gordon said with a shrug of his shoulders. What a strange thing for him to say, Vlad observed, but dismissed it just as quickly.

"Yeah," He sighed. "I'll be back to living my life just as soon as the Batman shows up to see why his damn signal is on".

"Oh he'll show up sooner or later,"

"You said that the other night, Gordon".

"The Batman has other people to track down and take back to Arkham, you know that Vlad. Why two weeks ago he told me that he was looking for clues as to the newest whereabouts of the Penguin and his little gang of rouges".

"Well as soon as he clips that crazy bird's wings, the sooner he can come put an end to this case with Killer Croc".

"Well he might show up tonight or he might not," He stated in reply, slowly making his way back to the stairwell. "Whatever the reason, it's no reason for you to stay out here all night and freeze your ass off, son".

"Rather freeze my ass off than have my sister kick my ass for not getting to talk to the Dark Knight". Vlad half laughed.

"Alright then," Gordon sighed. "Enjoy the rest of your night, Vlad".

* * *

Someone was humming.

Croc didn't particularly give a damn since it sounded sweet, but it was the fact that it was keeping him up. It was probably that woman; she was the only other person who had any business here at this hour. He was about to yell at her to shut the mother fucking hell up, but two things stopped him.

The first, was that the sound had a metallic twang to it; he deduced that it must be coming through the air vent. Their rooms were connected. Huh. Well how about that?

The second, was that he recognized the tune. It took him a minute to realize what it was, but when he did he was hit with a huge pang of nostalgia.

It was a lullaby he'd used to whisper to himself on those especially dangerous nights when his aunt got drunk and started to beat and kick the shit out of him. She'd end up calling him a freak (and several other foul names) and stormed off to grab a drink and her pack of cigarettes, wanting absolutely nothing to do with him. That pretty much left him to tend to whatever scratches and bruises that he obtained after his beating before limping to his room and crying for the rest of the evening.

It was definitely a real shame and a real mistake that after the death of his father, that he was put under the guardianship of his incredibly abusive and alcoholic aunt. Constantly and brutally abused in his own home and sometimes locked up in a closet like an animal as his aunt consumed more alcohol and engaged in sexual activities.

Without a doubt, this was not the best situation for him or any child to grow up in.

Hell, there were even some nights that he felt that he would be so terrified, that repeating a simple little lullaby was the only way to get himself to sleep.

How strange, hearing it here, of all places.

So now Croc couldn't bring himself to silence her now.

It just didn't seem right. And in some small way, in some small part of him, he found that it gave him a little comfort. Not a lot but just a little comfort that made him relax and so much that he didn't even notice when he fell asleep.

* * *

**Yes, yes, I had to add in just a little bit of Killer Croc's backstory due to the fact that if someone who's reading this story doesn't know his backstory then they can see its bits and pieces. Also, I'd thought it'd be kind of sweet to add something like that little lullaby in; the idea was too much for me to overlook.**

**Ok so until the next chapter of the story, my good readers!**


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